Sinker releasing device



Patented Oct. 3, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,359,588 SINKER RELEASING DEVICEv Robert Shea, Martell, Calif.

Application August 11, 1943, Serial No. 498,222

4 Claims.

This invention relates to fishing tackle, and its general object is to provide a sinker releasing device that is primarily designed for deep sea trolling, bottom fishing and the like, which requires a heavy weight or sinker, and the device includes means for releasing the weight when a fish is caught, thus making it possible for the angler to have the pleasure and sport of playing the fish, free from the drag and resistance of the weight, and such freedom also eliminates or reduces toa minimum injury to the mouth of the fish.

A further object is to provide a sinker releasing device, that is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture, and extremely eiicient in operation, use andservice.

This invention also consists in certain other features of construction and in the combination and arrangement of the several parts, to be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing and specifically pointed out in the appended claims.

In describing the invention in detail, reference will be had to the accompanying drawing wherein like characters denote like or corresponding parts throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a side View of my device, with the f parts in normal position, and having a sinker attached thereto.

Figure 2 is a similar View showing the device in released position, to allow the sinker to be detached therefrom.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken through the sinker latching member keeper.

Referring to the drawing in detail, it will be noted that my device includes a rod like stem or shaft having a relatively small eye 2 at its upper end and a larger eye 3 at its lower end, the latter eye being disposed at an inclined angle relative to the stem. Connected to the eye 3 is a weight latching member that is formed from a single strand of resilient wire looped to provide an eyed portion 4 at its inner end, that is passed through the eye 3 for connection of the latching member thereto. From the eyed portion 4, the strand portions are spaced in curved diverging relation to each other, and one strand portion terminates at its free end into a hook 5, while the other strand portion terminates in spaced relation to and is aligned with the outer end of the hook, as best shown in Figure 2.

Mounted for slidable movement on the stem I is a hollow cylindrical keeper B having its upper end closed by a cap I that is threaded on the body of the keeper, and the lower end of the body is closed by a wall 8, the latter and the cap being provided with central openings through which pass the stem, as best shown in Figure 3.

The keeper is provided with an elongated slot 9 intermediate the ends of the cylindrical wall thereof, the slot having beveled upper and lower walls IIJ and is for the purpose of receiving the hook 5 of the latching member, with the free end of the strand portion I I bearing against the outer face of the body of the keeper, as shown in Figure 3, for cooperation with the hook to releasably connect a weight or'sinker I2 to the latching member. The sinker is shown as being of conical formation, with a ring I3 mounted in a bore adjacent the apex thereof, and the ring is of a diameter to freely slide on the latching member for ready application and removal of the weight with respect thereto.

Sleeved on the stem is a coil spring I4 having its end convolutions bearing against the lower end rof the keeper and the eye 3 respectively, for urging the keeper upwardly on the stem, to normally retain the latching member in latched position, and consequently the weight attached thereto, as shown in Figure 1.

A bait or hook leader attaching member is slidably mounted on the stem above the keeper and that member is formed from a single strand of relatively stiff wire to provide a pair of spaced eyes I5 and I6, a portion II between the eyes I5 and I6 and paralleling the stem, an arm I8 eX- tending from the eye I6 for disposal at right angles to the stem, and a bracing portion I9 for the arm, disposed at an inclination from the eye I5 and connected to the arm I8 adjacent its outer end. The arm I8 is formed with an eye 2D at its outer end for connecting the leader 2l of a hook 22 thereto. An artificial bait may be connected to the leader in place of the hook, as will be apparent. The eyes I5 and I6 surround the stem in loose association therewith, and the eye 2 retains the leader attaching member on the stem, for the purpose of attaching the device to an ordinary sh line 23.

From the above description and disclosure in the drawing, it is believed that the operation of my device will be obvious, but it might be mentioned that the sinker is rst applied to the latching member. The keeper is then moved against the action of the spring I4 and the latching member is applied to the keeper, as shown in Figure 3, with the result that when a sh strikes the bait and is caught, the weight or resistance injure the mouth of the fish, and when Areleased.

such injury is eliminated or reduced to a minimum.

It is thought from the foregoing description that the advantages and novel features of the invention Will be readily apparent.

It is to be understood that changes may be 3. A sinker releasing device for use in fishing, comprising a stem, a latching member connected to the stem, a sinker for detachable connection to the latching member, a hollow cylindrical keeper slidably mounted on 'the stem and provided with a slot intermediate its ends for receiving the latching member, a. springsleeved on the stern and bearing against the keeper for holding the latching member in the slot to prevent removal of the sinker, a bait leader attaching member including spaced eyes surrounding the stem for slidable movement thereon, an arm ineluded in said attaching memberrand extending 'at right angles relative to the stem, bracing made in the construction and in the Combiation and arrangement of the several parts, pro'- vided that such changes fall Within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

l. A sinker releasing device for use in fishing, comprising a stem, a latching member connected to the stem, a sinker for detachable connection to the latching member, a, spring pressed keeper movably mounted on the stem for receiving the latching member to prevent removal of the sinker therefrom, and bait attaching means slidably mounted on the stem and engageable with the keeper for releasing the latching member to allow removal of the sinker.

V2.Y A sinkerl releasing device for use in shing,y comprisinga stem having eyes at the ends thereof, a. latching member connected to `one of said eyes'and includinga hook, a sinker for detachable connection to the latching member, a spring pressed keeper provided withV means for receiving the hook to prevent removal of` the sinker from the latching member, and a bait attaching member slidably mounted on the stem and engageable with the keeper for releasing the hook to, allow removal of the sinker, the other eye providing a stop for the bait attaching member and being for use in connecting the device to a line.

means for the arm, and an eye at the free end of the arm for connection of the leader thereto, said bait leader attaching member being engageable with the keeper for releasing the latching member therefrom to allow removal of the sinker.

4. A sinker releasing device for use in fishing, comprising a stem having eyes at the ends thereof, a latching member formed from a single strand of resilient wire looped to provide an eyed portion connected to one of the eyes of the stem, portions extending from said eyed portion curved formation and inv spaced' relation to each other, one curved portion terminating at its frlee end into a hook and the other curved portion having its free end spaced from and aligned with the outer end of the hook, a sinker for detachable connection to the latching member and slidably mounted on the curved portions thereof, a spring pressed keeper slidably mounted on the stemv and providedY with a slot having beveled ends, said slot being adapted to receive said hook to prevent removal of the sinker from the;

latching member, and a bait attaching member slidably mounted on the sternl .and engageable with the keeper for releasing the hook to allow removal of the sinker, the other eye of the stem providing a stop for the bait attaching member and being for use in connecting the device to a line.

ROBERT SHEA. 

